Veterans Day - a time to be thankful

Speak Out

SEN. STEPHEN BREWER (D)

On Oct. 8, 1954, the same year Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day by an Act of Congress making November 11 a day to honor American veterans of all wars, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued our nation’s first “Veterans Day Proclamation.” That proclamation reads that on Veterans Day our grateful Nation shall “solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to protect our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”

Today, there are nearly 23 million United States veterans nationwide and 420,000 in Massachusetts alone. Each and every one of them, whether serving in peacetime or in wartime, has made immeasurable sacrifices.

This year, our nation reflected as we surpassed the 10-year anniversary of one of the most horrific terrorist attacks to ever take place on American soil. The events of Sept. 11, 2001 changed our nation forever and called to duty thousands of brave service men and women. In Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom alone, 559 Massachusetts soldiers have been wounded in action.

Currently, 11,000 courageous Massachusetts residents are deployed. While Memorial Day is designated as a day of remembrance, Veterans Day is a day to reflect on the extraordinary duties performed by our men and women in uniform. Just as our nation vows to honor our soldiers, Massachusetts has also made a vow to protect and serve our troops coming home.

This year’s state budget included 10 percent increases to Veteran’s Outreach Centers and Homeless Shelters.

In addition to taking care of our veterans who have returned home, we are also preparing for the influx of service men and women who will soon be returning from overseas to ensure that they will receive the benefits they need upon arrival. The Commonwealth has created a new program called Train Vets to Treat Vets, which trains former service members to provide counseling to returning veterans and just last week, an additional $700,000 was allocated in a supplemental budget for the state’s Welcome Home Bonus.

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles will also add an optional Veterans Designation on the front of Massachusetts driver’s licenses and IDs.

This year, the month of November was officially declared “Hire a Veteran Month” in Massachusetts, calling to action Massachusetts businesses and major trade associations to explore the benefits of hiring veterans and offer meaningful and stable employment for our soldiers.

I am humbled each and every year to stand among veterans in many of the communities I represent and share in the time honored tradition of showing gratitude for our veterans during this time of year.